Process of producing dialkyl selenides and tellurides



Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE;

CARROLL ALONZO HOCHWALT. OF DAYTON. OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AIGN- PORATION or DELAWARE.

or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A"- COR- PROCESS OF PRODUCING DIALKYL SELENIDES AND TELLURIDES.

No Drawing.

'1 '0 all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAnuom. ALONZO Hooi-iwaur, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Producing Dialkyl Sclenides and 'lcllurides,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

- This invention relates to the manufacture of dialkyl selenides and tellurides, and its principal objects are to improve the yields and reduce the cost of manufacture.

I have found that dialkyl sulphates react directly with metals of the selenium type (selenium and tellurium) yielding the corresponding dialkyl selenides or tellurides. By way of an example of one method of carrying out my process, I place about 960 grs. of a finely divided sodium selenide (Na se) alloy in a vessel, provided with a reflux condenser, on a water bath, and add 1 liter of diethyl sulphate in portions of 50 to 100 cc. each permitting the reaction, which is exothermic, to subside before adding another portion of the sulphate. After all of the sulphate has been added the mixture is heated by ithe water bath to about 100 C. for three hours to insure completion of the reaction, water isadded to reduce the sodium selenide present, and the diethyl selenide is steam distilled out and collected in another vessel. The reflux apparatus condenses vapours of dicth'ylsulphate and selenide.

The process maybe varied b en'l'ploying a. compound containing other a kyl radicals such as the methyl, propyl, and butyl in Vplaceof the ethyl radical and by formmg the telluride compound, in place, of

Application filed October 3, 1923- Serial No. 666,260.

the selenidc compound and by using potassum in place of SUClltUH. Vhere these changes are made equi-molecular quantities,

may be used. lVhat is claimed is as follows: I 1.-The process of producing a dialkyl compound of a metal of the selenium type which comprises forming an alkali metal alloy with the said metal, and bringing the alloy into contact with a dialkyl sulphate.

2. A process as'defined in claim 1 in which a diethyl sulphate is used and a diethyl compound of the metal is formed.

which comprises fori'niug a finely divided alloy of sodium and the metal, adding a dialkyl sulphate to the alloy, reducing the alloy remaining at the endof this reaction,

and steam distilling out the dialkyl compound of the metal. p

6. The process .of producing a diethyl compound of 3 selenium which comprises forming a finely divided alloy of sodium and the metal, adding diethyl sulphate to the alloy, reducing the alloy, remaining at the end of this reaction, and steam distilling out the diethyl compound of the metal.

In, testimony whereof I hereunto "aflix my signature.

CARROLL ALOINZOYHOOHWAL'II. i 

